The heart of the Philippines, Ilo-ilo

My fiancee and I got to visit Ilo-ilo again after four years... this time as tourists. Yup, no work-related and obstrusive destinations were part of the itinerary.

Ilo-ilo would serve as our jump-off point to our main destination -- Boracay. We'd have until the following morning to discover Ilo-ilo (or at least the vicinities near Jaro) upon the recommendations of our very hospitable hosts and friends, Rolly and Eden.

We were told by Eden that interesting churches abound near Jaro. She even wrote the name of churches that we should go to and how to get to those places. This, made our objective very clear -- visit as many churches as we can before night falls.

Miag-ao Church

We decided to visit the furthest church first. Our first stop after riding a jeepney for around two hours is the Miag-ao Church. It is one of the oldest churches in the entire archipelago and has a very colorful history.

As quoted in the previous link, "In baroque-romanesque style, the church sinks six (6) meters deep into the ground with walls one-and-a-half (1 1/2) meters thick and buttresses thrice thicker in size. A truly 'Philippine Church', it exudes a native touch. Its artistic facade is decorated witha relief sculpture of St. Christopher carrying the Christ child amidst coconut, papaya and guava shrubs. A large stone image of St. Thomas of Villanova, parish patron saint, dominates the center. Carved life-size statues of the Pope and St. Henry with their coat-of-arms above them flank the main entrance. Supporting the facade are the twin belfries, one towering two-storeys and the other three-storeys high."

Guimbal Church

The Guimbal Church was built in 1774 by Padre Campos. It is made of igang (adobe) and coral stones which were quarried from the nearby island of Guimaras.

At present, it has been restored to its original structure, after it was destroyed twice -- during the Second World War and during the 1948 earthquake.

By the way, Guimbal got its name from a drum measuring 30cm x 20cm (height x diameter). It is made from the hollowed-out trunk of a palm tree, and is covered either by goat or deer skin.

Tigbauan Church

Sadly, the Tigbauan Church was our final stop of the day (at least before the sun went down below the horizon), as we were yet a good hour or so from our hosts in Jaro.

We tried to ask one of the caretakers (I think he was a sacristan) if we could go inside and take a look at its interior, and hopefully take some pics. No go. The parish priest was holding a mass in a nearby cemetery and the caretaker said that there would be nobody to take us on a tour of the church's interior.

Upon, seeing that we were not able to get inside, we met a "colorful" man on a bike who kept asking us pretty annoying questions (like "Why were'nt you able to get inside?", "Why do you want to go inside?", and "Where are you from?"); he kept tailing us wherever we went around the plaza. Oh well, maybe that was the signal to get on the public transport again and head back. :)

After dinner at a local Andok's, we were joined by Rolly, Eden, and Rain (their bubbly daughter) and headed for Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral.

Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral
Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

The cathedral is so magnificent even at night... and so is its belfry.

There is this story that Rolly and Eden were telling us as I was setting-up my camera for the shot above -- the image/statue of the Lady of Candles, the blue one in the midde, keeps growing. In fact, she used to be situated at the space below the middle crucifix. As the years went by, she steadily grew until she could no longer fit in the space. Thus, the new one in front was made for her.

The Belfry

After taking a few pics of the cathedral, we walked home. It was already quite late at night and there were almost no people in the streets anymore. I looked across the street and saw this structure --

It was said to be owned by one of the more prominent families in the Philippines.

Anyway... Rolly, Eden, Rain, and to the hospitable people of Ilo-ilo... maraming salamat! We will be back!

Puerto Galera, revisited.

Both figuratively and literally.

This is my attempt at a repost on our second visit to Puerto Galera last 2007. This time, I'm now sporting cleaner locks (as opposed to my pony-tailed hair a few years back). I now also have a digital camera in tow -- my Canon Powershot S2 IS. Yup, no more films.

If you have a choice in your schedule, don't go to Puerto Galera during the Holy Week... particularly the Holy Weekend. Divisoria would seem like a ghost town compared to the Pier of Batangas during the said holidays. If you really have no choice, go to the pier early. Very early. Early as in try to get on the very first trip.

If you're commuting, it would take around three hours to get from Cubao to the pier via bus. How soon you can get on a pump boat to take you to Puerto Galera depends on the number of people inside the pier's departure area. The atmosphere inside the departure area's like a free-for-all melee. But hey, melees are fun! Get those tickets quick and open your ears for departure insructions (read: don't miss the boat).

After thirty minutes or so of being gently tossed by waves, you get to arrive here -- famous White Beach.

White Beach

The sand is not white though, the color is more that of polvoron. Don't get your hopes up high too -- the sand's texture is far from those of polvorons. A word of caution, at high noon, the sand can get as hot as polvorons being toasted in a wok! The solution? Get in the water!

The water, however, is cool, clean, and crystal clear. This Oriental Mindoro municipality is really a destination to consider if you're looking for a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. Who knows, you might get to meet your yuppie officemate from Makati in this place? Only to learn that this is the place where he can "get out into the open."

Awwww, c'mon. Everybody knows it. You know it, and I know it. Puerto Galera is sort of the unofficial spot where fairies come to get out of their closets. Even my fiancee's cousin admits to this "phenom." Hey, as long as everybody's happy, right?

Alrighty then... back to the topic at hand. If you're one who likes to photography people and landscapes, you've come to one of the most beautiful places around. The people and faces are abundant. Remember all those people back at the Pier of Batangas? Yup, they're all here! The landscapes and rocks make for excellent compositions, and the sun sets ideally out to the sea.

The sun sets at Galera

As night breaks, the parties start and you'll find the beaches awash with teenagers clinging on to their precious malt bottles like it was going to be their last source of hydration in the world. The annual San Miguel Beer festivities are held at White Beach. Bands, contests, dance-offs, you name it, Galera has it... until around 12 midnight. Ah huh, Puerto Galera still sleeps. If you're looking for a 24-hour party place, go to Boracay instead.

What's a vacation without booze?

So how does Puerto Galera compare to other beaches? It can't... coz it's a one of a kind beauty.

So there. This time around I think I'm a lot more kind to Puerto Galera and its tourists... which I, to put it harshly -- lambasted, in my original post.

Click here for more pics.

Grade "C" traveller

According to Lakbayan, my grade is C when it comes to the places I've been to in my own country.

What's your grade?

Under the pale moon of the south

If you think that the days of Batangas as one of the more popular weekend getaway spots in the island of Luzon has been long gone, think again. A place 115kms south of Manila's got you covered.

Yes, there are other places that can better the beaches of Batangas without you having to travel in some other means than by land. Subic has its white-ish sand. So does Pagudpud up in the north. La Union's got its high waves and its bronze-skinned surfers. Pangasinan has its own share of beaches. Nasugbu, has, well... foamy waters and virtually pitch-black sand.

The ambience in Subic beaches, doesn't quite fit my taste. They are more like public beaches. Sure you get the sun, the sea and the sand... but you also get tons of other people wading in the shore with you. Your privacy is only contained by the roof of your rented rickety cottage.

Pagudpud is like paradise. Its white sand and the view of the South China Sea can easily make you grab for a can of cold beer while grilling some kebab. White sand plus sea plus kebab plus beer is virtually heaven in my book... if you're willing to travel by land for more than twelve hours.

The beaches in Pangasinan are also worth looking into. It's definitely in our must-travel destinations.

Aaah, La Union. The surfing Mecca of the Philippines. I've got the utmost respect for its waves and its surfers. The waves in La Union, expectedly, are quite strong. You can stare at the sea all day long... and that's the only thing one can do -- stare, not swim... nor wade. Unless you're a surfer. The waves and riptides of La Union can easily wreak havoc on a person. The corals can do an Edward Scissorhands on one's back with no regrets whatsoever. I should know... a cousin of mine drowned in the waters of La Union years ago. May God bless your soul, Niño.

The local surfers in La Union are like water ninjas.

We've once witnessed (while we were eating halo-halo by the shore) several people shouting for help as they were trying to fight back riptides. The five (or six) of them were already a bit far out into the sea when someone noticed and heard their pleas for help. The local surfers appeared out of nowhere with their boards and rescued the hapless people in no time at all. Much respect for you dudes!

Nasugbu? Uhhh... hmmm... well, you can stop over at Nasugbu, take a look at its beaches and seawater... then leave immediately. Why? A few municipalities further down south, and closer to Quezon, lies San Juan.

It's got its bevy of resorts and beaches that offer white sand, a clean sea, and a more relaxing atmosphere. The resorts are definitely of the class act. Air-conditioned private rooms/cottages, function halls, play halls, tanning decks, cable-TV, beer, room service... you name it, and they've probably got it. A newly-built resort can even rival some of the establishments in Boracay.

I guess that's enough for the yadda-yadda... on to the pics!

The beach in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas

Bora? Nope... San Juan! The beach at night.

Night-time beach volleyball, anyone?

I just realized that I took more photos during the night than during the day. Well, it was too hot! ^_^

The lamps the line up the fences at Laiya Resthouse.
Have I told you about the ambience thingie?

I can't resist taking this night scene.
Clouds reaching out to the moon-lit and starry sky... golden sand... tranquil sea... a boat silently heading out... beer in hand. :D
This pano I took is probably my favorite photo of all time. ^_^

So, if you're looking for some quick getaway with your friends or that someone special, try out Barangay Laiya in San Juan, Batangas.

BTW, we stayed at the Laiya Resthouse and beach resort during our vacation. Laiya was such a nice place that we came back with another set of friends... a week later. ^_^

Click here to view the rest of the pics.

Twin falls and a typhoon

Back in '06, in spite of typhoon Utor (Seniang), my photo buds and I went on with a planned shoot in Tanay, Rizal.

Our destinations are a lighthouse and the twin falls of Tanay.

With a steady drizzle coming from above, our convoy headed for the place east of Marikina. Jake, Dwight, Christian and I were pooling in Jake's Isuzu Crosswind as we chattered away to make the long trip to the lighthouse a bit manageable. Dwight and Christian, being doctors, narrated their (and other doctors, for that matter) experiences from petty ER incidents to OR booboos. I tell you, during that time they were narrating those stories, my respect for medical professionals went from a hundred percent to almost naught.

Anyway, the roads to the lighthouse was scenic enough for the convoy to stop and take some pics.

PARC and I shooting at one another, oblivious to incoming traffic. Hey, I got his back and he's got mine. No worries. ^_^

The drizzling still hadn't let up as we reached the historic lighthouse of Tanay -- the Parola. The skies, as expected, was overcast with gray clouds. Everyone hoped that the weather would cooperate and turn for the better. It didn't. Being the courageous "cowboys" that we are, we let our gears out of their comfy cribs, covered 'em with plastic bags and took advantage of the given situation.

Tanay's famous lighthouse, the Parola.

The area around Parola offered a beautiful view of Laguna de Bay along with its friendly residents.

Laguna de Bay.

Some of the more colorful "manongs", or male elders in Tanay.

The group savored lunch in one of the many restaurants lined-up at the area before proceeding to our main destination. The drizzles are starting to look line rain now... sigh...

We reached the twin falls just before 2pm and the rain is getting heavier as each moment passes by. I don't know if I could call the downpour as a blessing in disguise, but locals say that the falls are usually crowded during weekends. This particular rainy weekend, however, there were only a handful of visitors. Yup, it's a blessing indeed. Less people means less obstructions to the views.

Our cameras, still covered with anything and everything made of plastic (plastic bags, trash bags, etc.), bore the brunt of the worsening weather. My then-new $6M Crumpler was begging for mercy... and hindsight made me wish that I had brought my AW Lowepro instead. Every available weather protection was utilized (even plastic tables!) for my companions' DSLRs. Water was literally everywhere! Above us, the rain... in front of us, the falls... below, the pool and torrential water. Nobody held back. Too late for that now. We did what we came to do.

Batlag Falls

Brave as we are, we were only able to shoot Batlag. Shooting Daranak was virtually out of the question as the rain-gods seemed determined to stop us at all cost. We can always come back for another round. It was time to go.

Max's restaurant along Ortigas Avenue extension provided a more welcoming environment as round after round of bottomless iced-tea came our way in the midst of our obligatory de-briefing after each photoshoot.

We all went home soaked, literally and figuratively, with memories of Tanay... not to mention priceless photographs.

Click here for more images.

Wawa Dam

Now we're heading over to a place which is not that far from Marikina... Wawa Dam, located in Montalban (now known as Rodriguez), Rizal.

Although it's been mentioned in Wiki's list of reservoirs and dams, I'm quite surprised that this dam in Barangay Wawa doesn't have an entry yet.

The Wawa Dam being profiled by one of my photo-buddies, Dennis.

Views from the other side of the dam.
The hills to the right are made of limestone.

This view can be seen on your way up to Wawa Dam.

I can't forget this guy. He kept bugging us to take his pic, so I did. Apparently, he fell down from this very spot while taking a pee (according to him, but I surmised he was drunk at the time). The height of this place is around a hundred meters up. He said he got away with only a few bruises and a gash on his head. Luck man. More on our conversation here.

The Barangay of Wawa and its hospitable residents are definitely one of the places I'd like to re-visit one day.

Parting shot: Remember the photo above with Dennis? I played with it a bit and came up with this --

Click here to view more images from the shoot.

Otto

Before I stray from my beloved city, I'm going to post a quick one, and it is one of the famous (if not the most) landmarks in Marikina -- the neon signage for Otto Shoes.

It stands on top of its very own building along J.P. Rizal street in Sta. Elena, Marikina and is definitely one of the eye-catchers as you pass along the Marikina Bridge especially at night.

The Otto neon signage.

Notwithstanding modern billboards and more contemporary sign gimmicks, it's been there for as long as I can remember and I'm willing to bet that it will continue to do so for many more decades to come.

For more information regarding Otto Shoes, head over to their website.

Mariquina

Naturally, I'm starting off with my hometown. Marikina.

I've since lived here for most of my life. I've witnessed how it progressed from being a municipality devoid of paved streets into one of the leading cities in the Philippines.

During the 80's, the only things to be proud about Marikina are its title -- The shoe capital of the Philippines; and its top-notch, quality shoes. As the years went by and as the passing of the governing reins happened, Marikina emerged out of the shadows a better place to live in. Civil improvements became a reality, businesses came in by the throngs as one by one, entrepreneurs trusted the city. Now, being a resident of Marikina is something to be proud of. Why won't we, afterall, our taxes are working for us.

I'm just nitpicking here, but the only thing I dislike about the place is the traffic condition during the rush hours. Well, I guess others can also lay claim to the same thing about their cities. Oh yeah, I need to mention that some areas get flooded once in a while during a heavy, continuous outpour. So if you're planning to acquire some real estate in the city, ask your potential neighbors first if the area gets flooded when it rains.

Other than those, everything about Marikina is to be loved -- its image, its citizens, its heritage, and its success story.

The Gazebo along the Marikina River.

A statue around 40 feet high, the Alamat ng Marikina watches over the Marikina River in the city proper.

This golden shoe, which a bit larger than a van, can be seen floating on the Marikina River among other floats with equally stunning decors.

A pano shot, right smack in the middle of the river.
Click on it to view a slightly larger version.

For more facts and information regarding Marikina, head over to the city's entry in Wiki.